


does it mean I'm in love with you

by fromthefarshore



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: It just happened, M/M, Nothing serious, just a short simple story about nekoma cuties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-20
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 22:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2484734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthefarshore/pseuds/fromthefarshore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a simple walk on a rainy day that makes something change inside Kenma's heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	does it mean I'm in love with you

It all starts when the rainy days come.

Kenma doesn't bother to figure out why, but he agrees to go out for a walk with Kuroo. Maybe because Kuroo's been whining for hours that they can't practise outside or maybe because he simply never says 'no' to the dark haired boy. And he can still play his games wherever they go, but this way at least Kuroo's face lights up with excitement. And that's good enough for Kenma.

Recently something's been off between them or so Kenma believes as Kuroo doesn't try to strike up a conversation once again. Truth be told, even though Kenma rarely gets into talks, he enjoys the attention Kuroo gives him, and he likes to hear his friend's chattering voice when they're going home together. But lately Kuroo's been more silent than usual and it's starting to bother Kenma more and more. Maybe they're falling apart, Kenma thinks when he can't fall asleep at night, and his mind fills with thoughts of Kuroo, of their relationship. He's come to conclusion that they're like the beach. Kuroo is like the sea that leaves the shore, which is like Kenma, again and again just to come back moments later. And Kuroo, just like the sea, attracts everyone while Kenma is just an addition to it, people deal with him plainly because they have to. Even though there are people who stay on the shore, usually it's only to enjoy the sun for a while, and eventually they end up in the sea, muttering to themselves that sand is _everywhere_ on them.

After all, it's always "Let's go to the sea" and not "to the shore".

While he's waiting for the next level to load, after a brief hesitation he says it to Kuroo and is greeted with a chuckle.

"You really should think less," he says, getting closer to Kenma under the umbrella he's holding. Kenma hums, shrugging his shoulders slightly. Kuroo has started talking and that's already something, so he gets back to his game, keeping an image of his friend's smiling face in his mind while listening to Kuroo's voice. "And it's their fault they can't appreciate shore properly. There's a reason why sea always comes back," he adds after a while and Kenma tilts his head up, forgetting about a game for a second when he meets Kuroo's smiling eyes and a grin plastered across his face.

He doesn't know what or who to blame afterwards - slippery pavement or distracting Kuroo, or his heart that suddenly decides to skip a beat - whichever it is, Kenma finds himself tripping and when Kuroo's hands reach him, he's already on the ground.

"Kenma? Is everything-" A weak gasp escapes Kenma's lips and Kuroo crouches next to him, his umbrella left for the wind and rain to play with. "Sit up," Kuroo mutters, carefully wrapping his fingers around Kenma's arm, his other hand on Kenma's back. The water on the ground is slightly mixed with red, and Kuroo furrows his eyebrows, looking at Kenma.

"My phone," Kenma's eyes widen as he reaches for the device, leaving red marks on it. He bites his lip when he looks at the screen and sees a crack through the middle of it.

"Leave it for now," Kuroo sighs, taking the phone and shoving it into his pocket. "Show me your palms," he says and however much Kenma wants to see him smile, Kuroo's face has a worried expression, his lips in a tight line and eyes narrowed. He does as he's told, and Kuroo seems so serious, just the way Kenma's dad looks when he's about to scold him. And Kenma hates this expression the most. It sends shivers through his body and he begins to panic that Kuroo might start hating him for being such a burden.

"I'm sorry," he mutters under his nose when Kuroo carefully checks his bruised palms. His throat gets dry and his eyes get watery when Kuroo doesn't reply. Kenma wants to apologize again, to explain _something_ , even though he's not sure himself what exactly, but he can't force the words out of his mouth and a few tears threaten to spill from his eyes, whether from the pain or from fear that Kuroo is angry at him, he can't figure it out _again_ , and now he's definitely starting to panic, his hands trembling, everything suddenly feeling cold.

He's _always_ right, he always _knows why_ , but this time someone is laughing inside his head and he can't make it stop.

He feels Kuroo's arms wrap around him and he hears sweet nothings being whispered into his ear. It feels so natural, and comforting, and warm, because somehow Kuroo always knows what to do, he's always prepared, always helping out. Kuroo takes his hands and places them on his own back, silencing Kenma's protests that it will leave stains. So Kenma lets himself sink in this content feeling, concentrating on Kuroo's pleasant voice.  
 And this is what Kenma has meant while comparing Kuroo to the sea. Kuroo's touching him gently again, calming him down and bringing some kind of peacefulness with those slow swings; rocking back and forth until Kenma is back to his usual self again.

"Can you walk?" Kuroo asks, carefully touching Kenma's knee where the fabric is torn and dirty.

"Yeah," he nods and stands up, looking around, then back at Kuroo, his eyes asking for directions.

"You sure?" Kuroo raises his eyebrows, taking a few steps to catch an umbrella that's been dashing against the wall. "Maybe I should carry you, come here," he turns his back to Kenma and lowers himself. Kenma hesitates, but Kuroo gives him a look, a grin back on his face, so Kenma eventually takes the umbrella from Kuroo and carefully hops on his back, pressing his cheek against Kuroo's shoulder.

"You're too nice," he mutters and Kuroo lets out a chuckle.

"I'm far from that."

-

"Is there anyone at your house?" Kuroo turns his head in an attempt to look at Kenma. He shakes his head and Kuroo nods, not saying anything else. He doesn't have to because Kenma already knows why he's asked. He would have stayed home alone and put bandages on his wounds himself, but Kuroo wouldn't agree, so Kenma lets himself be carried to Kuroo's house, to the bathroom.

Kuroo helps him take off his drenched jumper and T-shirt, putting a towel on his shoulders. They both are dripping water and Kenma mutters that everything will get wet, too.

"We'll deal with it later. Your palms," Kuroo looks up at Kenma from where's he crouching on the floor and takes one of Kenma's hands, then the other, carefully wiping them clean, disinfecting the wounds and putting plasters on it.

"Your knee now," Kuroo instructs and Kenma obediently takes off his sweatpants and lifts his leg for Kuroo to inspect. The wound is bigger than he thought and they both frown at it. "It'll need some time to heal, try not to reopen it when it becomes scabby," Kuroo smiles apologetically, sounding so much like a mom, when he finishes dealing with it.

"I don't plan to fall again."

"Just don't bend it too much, 'kay?" Kuroo sighs, standing up and leaving. He comes after a couple of minutes with dry clothes in his arms. He takes a towel from Kenma's hands and dries off his hair, then gives him pants and T-shirt both far too large for his small frame.

"Thanks," Kenma says, his eyes following Kuroo's movements as he's changing his clothes. He looks at Kenma with a smile tugging at his lips and Kenma's heart does that strange thing which makes him lose balance again.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Kenma mutters and Kuroo's smile is back. "Good."

Kenma looks at him for a while and then adds, "Kuroo, maybe I'm not okay. My heart is beating too fast."

Kuroo freezes with his T-shirt halfway down, looking bewildered, but then his trademark grin appears on his face, "Probably your body caught up with everything only now," he comes and runs his hand through Kenma's hair, "Don't worry 'bout it."

But Kenma's not sure if that pleasant shiver that runs through his spine has anything to do with that _everything_.

-

After this little incident Kuroo spends even more time with Kenma. He stays at Kenma's house for hours as they don't get out because of rain and they don't go to the gym because Kenma still wouldn't be able to play.

"You don't have to come every day. Go play volleyball," Kenma says one day when Kuroo makes himself comfortable on Kenma's couch.

"I'd rather be here," he shrugs, grinning. Kenma takes a deeper breath, concentrating on the game.

"As you want."

Kuroo turns on TV without asking and goes through channels. He stops at the one that doesn't show a commercial at the moment. Kenma doesn't really care what's on TV, but a certain phrase catches his attention and he lifts up his head, a vivid GAME OVER appearing on Kuroo's phone screen. He looks at Kuroo.

"What's on?" he asks, his breathing becoming a bit more shallow. He's sure he has just heard a girl say that her heart is beating so fast, but the show doesn't seem to be of medical kind.

"Drama? Some romance," Kuroo raises his eyebrows in question. "Caught your interest?"

"The girl. What did she talk about?" Kenma asks as he presses restart button. A warning that only 5% of battery is left appears on the screen. "Your phone's almost dead."

"Your charger is the same, use it," Kuroo smiles. Kenma's phone isn't repaired yet, so whenever they're together Kenma takes Kuroo's phone. "Apparently about the guy she's in love with. Co-worker or something," he casts a glare at Kenma and his smile widens. "Why do you ask?"

Kenma twirls his toes, bringing his knees to the chest, "Just because."

"Don't do that." Kuroo slides closer to Kenma, his hand on Kenma's thigh, pushing it gently. "It'll never heal like this, don't bend it," he sighs.

Kenma puts his foot on the floor, but Kuroo's hand doesn't leave his thigh. Abruptly his brain stops working and his glare is stuck on Kuroo's hand. GAME OVER flashes across the screen again and after a while it gets black.

"Ah, Kenma, why did you stop? You were so close to next level," Kuroo laughs silently and his hot breath tickles Kenma's skin. And there's only one thought in his head.

"My heart's beating too fast."

He doesn't know why he says it, he just does. And Kuroo's hand moves away so fast that it seems as if Kenma has just imagined it being there.

"Make it stop," he mutters and turns to look at Kuroo.

"I've just tried doing that," Kuroo lets out a sigh, his lips corners turned upwards just a slightly bit as if he's trying to withhold a smile. "Better?"

Kenma closes his eyes, "I don't know. It feels weird, I don't understand." He takes a deep breath, then opens his eyes and looks at Kuroo again, "Does it mean I'm in love with you?"

-

It all has started because of rainy days, Kuroo tells to himself as he takes down all _teru teru b_ _ō_ _zu_ from his window. It's like an act of gratitude, he tells himself as he looks at the gloomy sky. He has never liked rain because it stops him from going to play volleyball outside, and usually it gets colder and he knows Kenma doesn't like it and usually ends up catching a cold, but now he hopes that rainy days continue a bit longer and he looks at _teru teru b_ _ō_ _zu_ apologetically, wishing that it does have an effect.

It's not that he is particularly _in love_ with Kenma, he has never really thought about how much he likes the younger boy. They've spent years together and whatever people say Kuroo has known all along that he wants to spent more years like this, _together_. It was Kenma, so smart but sometimes completely oblivious, who caused his mind to stop and think for a moment. They've changed places for that time, Kuroo becoming the brain and Kenma relying on everything but his sane mind.

The saying goes that third time doesn't lie, but Kuroo gets convinced enough the second one, and he gives himself permission to stop using his brain that much and give this role back to Kenma. So he has acted without thinking when Kenma asked if his heart beating too fast means he's in love with Kuroo. And even now he can still feel that warm touch on his lips, and those silky strands between his fingers. He laughs to himself, because it's all so silly, and he dials Kenma's number, waiting longer than he'd like to until Kenma picks up.

"How's your heart? Still beating too fast?" he giggles and gets a puff in reply. "Should I do something to make it stop?" he lets himself mock Kenma a bit more, a big smile on his face as he knows what comes next.

Kenma takes a deeper breath, then says silently, "Just come here."

And Kuroo does.

 


End file.
